Track device for motor-vehicles.



L. W. DICKINSON.

TRACK DEVICE FOR MOTOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATIONFILED SEPT. 1. m5.

1,159,657. 'PatentedNov. 9, 1915.

F .I I i j Q W Dickinsorfi LESTER W. DICKINSON, 0F SCHU'YLER, NEBRASKA.

TRACK DEVICE FOR MOTOR-VEHICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 9, 1915.

Application filed September 7, 1915. Serial No. 49,400.

To all whom itmay concern:

Be it known that I, LESTER W. DIQKIN- SON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Schuyler, in the county of Colfax and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements 1n Track Devices for Motor-Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to devices for extricating motor vehicles when the same are mired in mud, loose sand or the like.

It is the object of my invention to provlde a simple, inexpensive and efiicient device for the above purpose, having means wh ch may be placed in engagement w1th the driving wheels of the vehicle so that rotation of the wheels will propel the vehicle and enable the same to move out of the mire under its own power.

A further object of my invention is to provide in a device of the foregoing character means enabling the same to be folded so as to occupy only a moderate space when not in use. In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side View of a device embodying my invention, the same being shown as in use, Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same, includlng a portion of an additional section, Fig; 3 is a side View of the device when folded, Fig. 4: is a detail transverse section, showing the manner in which the vehicle wheel is engaged, Fig. 5 is a plan view of a modified form of the device, and Fig. 6 is a detail transverse section of the same, showing a part of the vehicle wheel engaging 1t.

In carrying out my inventlon I provide devices which are adapted to be disposed beneath the wheels of a motor vehicle to form a temporary support or trackway for said wheels, and with which the same will engage so as not to slip relatively thereto. Each of the said devices comprises two or more sections which are hinged together longitudinally, each section being rigid or inflexible longitudinally and flexible transversely.

In the structure shown in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, the longitudinally rigid sections each comprises two side-bars'l which are connected to each other transversely by a plurality of chains 2 disposed at" uniform longitudinal intervals, the ends of said chains being attached to bands 3 which are fixedly secured on the side-bars at the desired positions. The side-bars are preferably tubular, being made from pieces of ordinary wrought-iron or steel pipe. At the ends of the side-bars which are'to be connected with another section the same are flattened and bent slightly to one side to form the joint or hinge-portions 4, which are pivotally connected to each other by pins or rivets 5, as shown clearly in Figs. 2 and 3. The entire device may comprise two, three or even more of-the sections which, when not in use, may be folded together as shown in Fig. 3.

In Fig. 1 there is represented a motor vehicle of which the rear or driving wheels A are mired in a mud-hole. For extricating a vehicle when in this or a similar condition, the track device is unfolded and the end of one of the terminal sections is pushed in as far as possible beneath the driving wheel A, the said terminal'section usually assuming an inclined position while the other section or sections lie horizontally, as shown in said figure. The relation of the wheel to the track device is at first approximately as represented by the dotted position of the Wheel, but, upon the application of power to rotate the wheel, the track device is usually drawn under the wheel more or less and the wheel then commences to climb or move forward, its position shown in Fig. 1 being after such forward movement has commenced. The pressure of the wheelupon the flexible transverse connecting parts causes the device to clamp onto the wheel as shown in Fig. 4, so that no slippage will occur between the wheel and track after the same are once pressed into engagement with each other.

In Figs. 5 and 6 there is shown a modified form of the device, wherein the transverse connecting portions of each section are formed principally by two serrated or roughened plates 6, of which the adjoining edges are flexibly connected by links 7 and of which the outer edges are flexibly connected with the bands 3 on the side-bars. The operation of the modified form of the device is essentially the same as that first described.

It will be obvious that in the use of the apparatus for a vehicle of which both driving wheels are mired, one of the track devices will be required for each driving wheel, but it is seldom, if ever, necessary to use more than two of the track' devices to extricate the vehicle where the same is not st; deeplymired as to entirely prevent its open;- ation. It may be noted that for difi'erent ve hicles difierent sizes of the track devices may be required, since those suitable for large and heavy vehicles would be unnecessarily heavy and bulky for lighter vehicles. In general, it is advisable that the length of the longitudinally inflexible sections be equal to or slightly greater than the diameter of the Wheels of the vehicle, and that the width of the sections be such that the transverse flexi ble portions may extend about halfway around the tire of the Wheel, as in- Fig. 4. The detailed structure of the devices is subject to considerable variation, especially With respect to the means and material employed to form the flexible transverse con.- nection between the side-bars, and it will be understood that the true scope of the inven tion is not more limited than as defined in the following claims. v

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the class described, a pair of rigid side-bars, and transversely flexible connecting means between the same, said means being depressible by a vehicle tire so as to fit around and grip the same.

2. In a device of the class described, a plurality of track-sections articulated serially,

each section beingtransversely flexible and substantially inflexible longitudinally.

3. In a device of the class described, pivotally connected sections, each section having rigid side-members, and transverse flexible means connecting said side-members.

'4. In a device of the class described, track sections articulated serially, each track-sec 'tion comprising longitudinally rigid members, and transverse connecting means flexibly connecting said rigid members.

5. In a device of the class described, a se ries of pivotally connected track-sections, each comprising a pair of rigid side-bars, and flexible means connecting said side-bars transversely.

6. In a device of the class described, a track-section comprising a pair of rigid tubular side-bars, and a series of 1ongitudi nally-spaced flexible transverse members having their ends connected with the respective side-bars.

7. In a device of the class described, a track-section comprising a pair of tubular side-bars, longitudinally-spaced bands secured on said sidebars, and transverselyextending chains having their ends congected with the bands on the respective sidears.

LEsrER W. DICKINSON. 

